Author name: Jonathan Little

Poker suits rank spades highest, followed by hearts, diamonds, and clubs at the bottom. In almost all poker games, suits are equal and do not affect hand strength, but there are three specific situations where […]

Big O poker is a variation of Omaha poker that’s played with five hole cards and the hi/lo principal in play. The full name of the game is Five Card Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 […]

Online poker rewards players who understand its key differences from live poker: faster game pace, tighter average competition, no physical tells, and significantly more accessible player-data through tracking software. I have played millions of hands […]

If you mention the word “poker” to most people, they immediately think of Texas Hold’em, but there are many different poker variations that fall under the umbrella of poker games.  In fact, there are dozens […]

The worst poker hands in Texas Hold’em share three characteristics: they are unconnected (cannot make a straight), unsuited (low flush potential), and contain low cards that make weak pairs when they hit. The bottom of […]

A cooler in poker is a hand where both players hold such strong cards that getting all the chips in the middle is unavoidable, and one player loses through no strategic error of their own. […]

Badugi poker is a four-card draw game where the goal is to build the lowest possible hand using four cards of different suits and ranks. Unlike Texas Hold’em or Omaha, there are no community cards. […]

GTO poker and exploitative poker are the two dominant strategic frameworks in modern No-Limit Hold’em. GTO play aims to be unexploitable by maintaining a mathematically balanced strategy, while exploitative play deliberately deviates from balance to […]

Check raising in poker is a two-part play where you check out of position, wait for your opponent to bet, and then raise to apply maximum pressure. It is one of the most powerful moves […]

Online 6-Max cash games present a unique set of challenges and opportunities. The accelerated pace means players see more hands per hour, requiring quicker and more precise decision-making. Additionally, the average skill level online tends […]

The easiest poker games for beginners are Five Card Draw, No-Limit Texas Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, Seven Card Stud, and Pineapple Poker. Each one is simpler in structure than advanced variants and designed to help new […]

Suited connectors are two consecutive hole cards of the same suit, such as JTs, T9s, or 87s. They can flop straights, flushes, and straight flushes, giving them a draw-heavy equity profile unlike most other starting […]

Pocket pairs are any two starting hole cards of identical rank, ranging from pocket aces down to deuces. They make up approximately 5.9% of all starting hands and carry more preflop equity than any other […]

Dealing Texas Hold’em means managing the deck, the blinds, the burn cards, the community cards, and the showdown correctly for every hand, from start to finish. I have sat in the dealer position many times […]

Poker can be played with anywhere from 2 to 10 players at a single table, depending on the format. The minimum is two players for a heads-up game, and the practical maximum for a live […]

Counting cards in poker is legal and fundamentally different from how it works in blackjack. In poker, the equivalent technique is tracking blockers and exposed cards within a single hand to narrow opponent ranges, not […]

The best poker rooms in Las Vegas are the Wynn, Aria, Venetian, Bellagio, and Caesars Palace for most players. Which one is right for you depends on your stakes, strategy, and how many pros you […]

Going all in in poker means committing every chip you have in front of you to the pot, forcing every other player in the hand to either match your wager, fold, or call for as […]

Chip dumping in poker is the act of intentionally losing your chips to another player at the table, usually to benefit a partner or accomplice and often as part of a broader collusion scheme. I […]

Bomb pots in poker are poker hands where every player at the table posts a mandatory ante before the cards are dealt, skipping preflop betting entirely and going straight to the flop with all players […]

Preflop play is arguably the most critical aspect of No Limit Texas Hold’em. It sets the tone for the entire hand and lays the groundwork for postflop decisions.  Game Theory Optimal (GTO) poker provides a […]